Dredging apparatus.



No. 890,764. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908. R. E. S. GBARE. DREDGING APPARATUS.APPLIGATIOK FILED JULY18, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 890,764. PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.

R. B. s. GBARE.

DRBDGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY18,1907.

3 SHEETSSHEBT 3.

Niel-nu;

g? 90% Q/wny RANDOLPH n. s. GEARE, or NEW YORK, v. v.

v "DREDGIN G 'APPARATUS.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented June is, 1908.

Application filed. July 18, 1907. Serial No. 384,3d1.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RANDOLPH E. S.

GEARE, a citizen of the United tates, and a resident of the city andState of New York,

have im ented certain Improvements in Dredging Appara is aspecification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in dredging apparatus,and has for its object to provide an apparatus of this gentus, of whichthe following eralcharacter of a comparatively simple and I inexpensivenature and of a strong and compact construction which shall becapable ofconvenient and effective operation at various depths for removing andelevating sand and the l to be adap'tedfor employment in 1' harbors,deepening water-ways and the re in a rapid and economical manner.

v The invention consists in part, in an appa' ratus'of this generalcharacter compris ng a.

rotary pump and a motor therefor, said pump and motor being connectedfor opera tion at the bottom of a water-way, means for supplying energyto said motor to operate the same, and a discharge conduit extend edfrom the pump and extended upwardly therefrom for discharge of sand andthe like therefrom.

The -in *ution also consists, in part, in a float or barge carryingreceptacles wherein the sand discharged from said conduit is adapted tobe received', said receptacles having means for discharging therefromthe. water supplied from said conduit so that the sand is permitted tosettlewithin the recep tacles and is retained therein while such watersupplied therewith is discharged from the receptacles.

The invention also contemplates -certain novel features oftheconstruction, and com binations and arrangements of the several parts ofthe improved dredging apparatus, Wherebycertain important advantages areattained and the apparatus is rendered simpler, cheaper and otherwisebetter adapted and more convenient and economical for use,

. all .as will be hereinafter fully'set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined 1n theclaims.

In the accompanying drawmgs, which serve to illustrate myinvention-Figure 1 is an axial section taken through the casing of thepump and motor andshowing various. features of construction thereof aswill be hereinafter explained; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the casingfor the pump and motor of the improved apparatus, showing the rods andconnections for elevating and lowering said casing and for laterallymoving and guiding the same; Fig. 3 is a general sectional view takentransversely through a barge or float provided with my improved dredgingapparatus and showing the same with the pump and motor casing lowered inposition for use in dredging; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the centralportion of the barge or float shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of the barge or float as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 6 is aplan view of the barge or float as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5; Fig. 7 isa plan view showing my improved dredging apparatus so applied to a-bargeor float as to be capable of being swung completely round for operationon o posite sides and atlopposite ends thereof; 1g. 8 is a sideelevation of the apparatus constructed as shown in Fig.

7, and Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the I means for draining waterfrom the-tanks or receptacles of the barge or float according to mymvention.

As shown in these views, the improved dredging apparatus comprises .acombined pump and motor casing formed from an upper section 1, anintermediate section 2 and a lower section 3, said several sectionsbeing provided with flanges a, 4, fitting flush upon one another andadapted for the passage of bolts or other securing means for holdthusformed is provided at its upper part with a bail 5, the lower ends ofwhich are pivotally connected, as seen at 6, 6, at opposite sides of theupper section 1 of the casing,

while the central portion of said bail is providod with an eye as shownat 7, for connection with thelower end of a cable 8 by means of whichthe casing may be raised and lowmg said sections in relation, and thecasing ered as will be hereinafter explained. The

opposite sides of the casing thus formed are provided with lugs; orbearings 9, 9, at top and bottom, and said lugs. or bearings 9, 9,

serve for the connection of rods or poles 1f), 10,'whic h are extendedupwardly so as to be adapted for. use by persons upon a float or bargeabove for'guiding the casing of the dredging apparatus laterally duringuse of the same.

, Within the upper section 1 of the casing is produced a chamber 11,wherein is arranged an electric motor 12 of-any preferredtype, and 14represents the c rcuit conductors tion 1 from a similar chamber 20produced in 1 the intermediate section 2.

\ At theupper part of the lower section 3of 1 the casing is extended atransverse partition is o or diaphragm 19 serving to close the bottom ofchamber 20 in section 2 and 25 represents a shaft extended axiallythrough a central boss 16* insaid lower artition or dia hragm, its upperend bein a 'ned beneath the lower end of armature s aft 15 and its lowerend being extended down into a pump-chamber 23 produced in lower section3. 24 and 24 represent stuffing-boxes located in chamber 20 of theintermediate section 2 at the central bosses 16 and 16 of the respectiveu per and lower partitions 17 and 19, said stu fin boxes-beingaccessible by way of a hand-ho e 20 in the side of the intermediatecasing section 2 and whereon a cover is applied in a well known way toclose the same when the device is in operation.

At the adjacent ends of the alined shafts 15 and 25 in chamber 20 thereare provided coupling members 18'and 18 res ectively, hel upon therespective shafts an adapted for engagement with each other to produce adriving connection between the shafts while permitting a certain de reeof flexure or lateral movement of oneshaft relatively to the otherwithout unduly straining the structure as would be liable to happen weresaid shafts fixedly connected. -This connection is also accessible byway of the hand hole 20' in the wall of casing section 2, so thatrepairs may be readily effected. At one side the section 2 has a nipple21 with which is connected a flexible pipe or hose 22 which extendsupwards and is adapted for connection with a source of compressed airupon a float or barge from which the casing is lowered in such a waythat compressed air is thereby supplied to chamber 20. The upperstu'ffing-box 24 will preferably be less tight than the lowerstuffing-box 24!, which latter affords a substantially air-tight inclosure around the bearing of the lower shaft .25 at boss 16 and in thismanner a certain leaka e of air is, permitted from the chamber 20ofi'the intermediate casing section 2 into the motor chamber 11 of theupper casing section 1, whereby a certain heightened air pressure ismaintained within said upper motor chamber 11 to prevent the entry ofand has a central opening through which the blade 27 of the pump isextended in such manner as to be ada ted to be engaged in the sand orearth. under ying the 'casing to loosen said sand or earth and elevatethe same within the impeller of the pump whence it is discharged underpressure in a lateral direction through a discharge outlet 31 at theside of the lower casing section 3.

The lower part of the blade 27 of the pump carries a downwardly extendedhead 28, having a neck portion of reduced diameter .as shown at 29 andsaid neck portion by preference has detachable connection with saidblade 27, the arran ement of these parts being such that sai downwardlyextended head will penetrate the sand or earth to a point below thelower portion of blade 27 during the operation of the pump so that ifrock be encountered, said blade is prevented from coming into contacttherewith and being thereby broken. Should the head 28 be broken off atits reduced neck portion 29, it may be readily replaced without materialcost or loss of time.

30 represents a plurality of downwardly extended blades or fingers whichare extended downwardly around the perimeter of the casing, beingsecured at their up er ends to the lower section 3 thereof an havingtheir tip ends sharpened in such a way as to be ada ted to sink mto thesand or earth sufficientl y to prevent any tendency to rotative movementto which the casing might otherwise be exposed, and whereby damage mightbe done to the suspending means or to the air or power connections.

The discharge or eduction passage 31 of the pump chamber 23 is laterallydirected therefrom and has an upwardly curved and contracted neckportion 32, wherewith is connected an u wardly extended flexible conduit33 which is to be carried upward to the barge or float when the sand orearth discharged from the centrifugal pump casing is to be loadedthereon. ,An ordinary footvalve may be arranged at the base of thisflexible conduit to support the sand and water discharged through thesame, but as such a valve is an ordinary expedient I have notillustrated the same herein.

34represents the barge or fioatifrom which the improved dredgingtapparatusijconstruct- .ed according to my lnvention is operated asherein shown, and 35 represents a derrick erated in raising and loweringthe casing.

pon the barge or float are located tanks or receptacles 38-,38 intowhich the sand discharged throu the pump casing is supplied and 3-7repref 38, to be traversed by the workmen elevations w th '40jandserving which will of course be supplied from the con gh the flexibleconduit 33 from sents agenerator for supplying current for the motor 12A foot-board 41 is shown extended across the tanks or sand receptaclesguidmg the upper end of the flexible conduit so that the tanks orreceptacles may be uniformly-filled for trimming the load and asshown'in Figs. 8 and 9, the walls 39 of said tanks or receptacles areprovided at suitable outlets controlled by cocks for the discharge ofwater duit 33 together with the sand. By this arrangement, the sand ispermitted to settle in the tanks ,or receptac es, while the wateroverlying the same will be rapidly discharged so as'to permit theeffective loading of the barge er float.

The cocks40 may, of course,

' be omitted when desired, since the outlets '6', the barge or float has'ation at op 7 an will be closed by the rise of sand at the base ofthe'tank or receptacle.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5 and tanks at its oppositederrick is arranged for operositesides of the vessel, but in ends andthe ing rotate permits the casing to be 0 erated at the ends of thebarge i or float as welas at opposite sides thereof,

for use in certain wherefore this construction is better adapted cases.

In practical use, the barge or float is mooredat the point at which thedredging is to be accomplished, and the pump and motor casing is loweredtherefrom with the c0nduit 33 arranged to discharge the ejectedcountered, the head 28 afifords'an eflective protection against breakageof the blade 27' thereby, since said head maintains the blade above suchrock at all times. The fingers 30 also operate in a similar manner andmay be readily replaced when broken, being held by bolts-:or the like tothe lower casing section 3.

The improved dredging apparatus con- 8, I have shown the derrick.'mounted u on a turn-table 42 which by bej pump and motor sure for the,motor, means ior use by reason of'the readiness and convenience withwhich it may be operated below the water, there being no mechanicaldriving connection requisite for the pump, and the motor being whollyinclosed and directly connected to the pump'and efiect- .ively protectedagainstdefective operation through leakage, and it will also be obviousfrom the above description that the apparatus is susceptible of somemodification with out material departure from the principles and spiritof the invention and for this reason I do not desire to be understood aslimiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several partsof the apparatus herein set forth in carrying out my invention inpractice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is 1. An apparatus of the character described comprisinga casing having its to and side wallsinclosed to produce a charm erwithin it, and adapted to be lowered from a float and to be completelysubmerged beneath the surface of the water, a motor within the casing,means for supplying energy to operate the motor, a pump driven from themotor and also adapted to be submerged below the surface of the water,and a discharge conduit extended from the pump to a point above thesurface of the Water.

2. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casing havingits to and side walls inclosed to produce a cham er within it, andadapted to belowered from a float and to be completely submerged beneaththe surface of the water, a motor within the casto operate ing, meansfor supplying energy the motor, a pump also inclosed in the casing anddriven from the motor, and a discharge conduit extended from the pump toa point above the surface of the water.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a rotary pump, anelectric motor having an armature shaft whereon the pump is mounted, aninclosure for the motor, means for supplying electrical energy to themotor and a discharge conduit extended from the pump and adapted to beextended above the surface of the water.

4. An apparatus of the character described comprising a rotary pump, anelectric motor operatively connected therewith, an inclo sure for themotor, means for supplying electric energy to the motor and means formain taining increased pressure within said motor inclosure.

. 5., An apparatus of the character described comprising a rotary pum anelectric motor operatively connected t erewith, an inclofor supplyingelec- -7. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casmghaving tWoc-hambers, a motor mounted m one chamber and having a shaftextended in the other chamber, a pump on said shaft in such otnerchamber an cLhaving blades extend ed therefrom for engagement in sand orthe like, means for supplying energy to the motor and a dischargeconduitconnected with the pump chamber and adapted to receive sand orthe like therefrom to be conveyed above the surface of the Water.

8. An apparatus of the character described comprising a casing havingtwo chambers, a motor mounted in one chamber and having a shaft extendedin the other chamber, a pump driven from said shaft in such otherchamber and having blades extended therefrom for enga ement in sand orthe like, means for sup ying energy to the motor and a part car- 'rie bythe pump and extended below the blades thereof and adapted to penetratesuch sand or the like.

9. An appaifatusof the character described comprising acasing having tWochambers, a motor mounted in one chamber and having a shaft extended inthe other chamber; a pump driven from said shaft in such other chamberand having blades extended therefromfoi'engag'ement insand or the likeand arts extended from the casing below said lades of the pum andadapted to penetrate such sand or t 1e like. I

- 10. An; apparatus of the character described comprising a casinghaving two'chambers, a motor mounted in one chamber and having a snaftextended the other chamber, a-pum driven from said shaft'in such othercham er and having blades extended therefrom for engagement in. sand orthe like, means for supplying energy to the motor, and a part detachablyconnected with the pump and extended centrally therefrom below saidblades a1. l adapted or the like.

11. An apparatus of the character described comprising a chamberedcasing, a motor therein, means for supplying energy thereto, a shaft forthe motor, a pump having a shaft extended adjacent to the motor shaftand a flexible connection for driving the pump shaft from the motorshaft.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 28th; day of June1907, in the to penetrate such sand presence of two subscribingWitnesses.

RANDOLPH E. S. GEARE. Witnesses:

H. G. Hosn,

WILLIAM J. Fian'rn.

